Uber driver sues TfL over licence renewal delays that pushed him into debt
A London Uber driver, Julius Mugabo, is taking Transport for London to the high court over delays renewing his private hire licence that left him in serious debt. It is the first legal challenge of its kind, and a judge has granted a full judicial review.
Julius Mugabo, a 55-year-old Uber driver who has held a Transport for London (TfL) licence since 2016, has launched a landmark high court case against the authority over delays in renewing his licence to drive passengers in London.
Under the law governing private hire vehicles in London, drivers must have their licences renewed by TfL every three years and cannot legally work without a valid licence. Mugabo submitted a routine renewal application at the end of last year, but TfL repeatedly delayed processing it, repeatedly asking for documents he says he had already supplied. His licence lapsed at the end of March 2026, and he only received the renewed licence recently, after starting legal action.
The delays left Mugabo in serious financial trouble. An unpaid tax bill of £3,000 grew to £20,000 once interest was added, and his landlord threatened eviction because he struggled to pay rent on time.
Freedom of information data obtained by the Conservatives shows that almost 18,000 of London's roughly 100,000 private hire drivers have received "goodwill" payments of £300 to £500 due to similar licence renewal delays.
Granting a full judicial review hearing, Mr Justice Sweeting said the delay caused immediate and serious consequences for Mugabo and his family, and noted that TfL itself accepted the handling of his application fell below its usual standards.
The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which represents app-based drivers, is backing the case and says many of its members affected by similar delays have fallen into debt, lost their cars or faced eviction. A TfL spokesperson confirmed the authority is aware of the claim and is awaiting a hearing date.
